By Chad Klassen

High cannabis numbers aren’t expected to slow down: B.C. Liquor Distribution Branch

Oct 25, 2018 | 3:58 PM

KAMLOOPS — The excitement about marijuana legalization and the first and only B.C. retail cannabis store in Kamloops has been high, which has continued into the second week of operations — and isn’t slowing down with line-ups still keeping people waiting.

“It’s not surprising,” said the city’s business license inspector Dave Jones. “People said they wanted a legal supply of cannabis and this proves that they’re willing to support the government that’s open now.”

The B.C. Liquor Distribution Branch revealed on Wednesday there have been more than 21,700 transactions during the first week of legalization, including more than 4,000 at the Sahali store.

“I think it’s a bit of a novelty. It’s the first cannabis store in B.C. It’s nice and shiny,” said communications specialist with BCLDB Kate Bilney. “We’ve done a really good job, we think, to make it appealing to customer and provide that education, and still more than a week later people are lined up outside.”

The online sales, which have now surpassed 18,000, have been processed, and without a hitch, despite all the web traffic. The distribution branch also says the rotating Canada Post job action hasn’t impacted cannabis deliveries.

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“It’s been pretty smooth sailing. People have posted on social media that they’re receiving their orders within a day,” said Bilney. “The people have been pretty happy. We’ve got a great team, getting the orders out very quickly, so we’ve been pretty happy with that.”

The government won’t release revenue numbers from all the sales. The City of Kamloops, which received $5,000 from the distribution branch for a business license, is eagerly awaiting how many tax dollars it will receive from purchases at the store.

“The province hasn’t announced what the cost share on that is,” noted Jones. “The province is still unsure how many tax dollars will be collected, and at that point in time, there will be some discussion from the municipalities at UBCM as to what that cost share will be.”

Jones says the city has been documenting the hundreds of hours it’s put into ensuring the store opened and that legalization runs smoothly in Kamloops.

The city will have a good idea how many tax dollars it’ll be hoping from the government.

by Chad Klassen

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High cannabis numbers aren’t expected to slow down: B.C. Liquor Distribution Branch

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